Search

Employees Honored with URMC Chairman’s Excellence Awards

January 31, 2005

During the annual meeting of the University of Rochester Medical Center Board on Jan. 24, Chairman Roger Friedlander presented the Chairman’s Excellence Awards to employees whose professional and personal standards exemplify quality patient care.

Michael Apostolakos, M.D., director of Adult Critical Care, was honored with the Physician Award for his dedication to patients and their families. Apostolakos has been at the medical center since 1987, starting out as a resident and then fellow, and since 1993 as an attending in the Pulmonary/Critical Care Unit. He has been director of Adult Critical Care for the past seven years.

Janis Croop, R.N., nurse manager in the pediatric intensive care unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, was honored with the R.N. Award for her role in the development of the new 20,000-square-foot PICU, which opened in December. Croop has been at the medical center for 24 years, the past 20 years spent caring for young patients and their families in the PICU.

Susan Frederick, R.N., M.S., F.N.P., a trauma nurse practitioner in the Kessler Family Adult Burn/Trauma Intensive Care Unit, received the Mid-Level Provider Award for her extensive involvement with state- and national-level trauma nursing organizations, efforts that have brought the best practices to Rochester. Frederick has been at the medical center for nine years, four and a half of those focused on burn-trauma care.

Bonnie Prince, graduate medical education assistant and office manager, was honored with the Clerical Award for her commitment to quality and customer service in her work in the GME office, which assists medical residents and fellows during their tenure at the medical center. Prince has worked with the GME staff for five years.

Susan Ruhlin, L.M.S.W., AIDS Center social worker, received the Clinical Support Award for her dedication as a strong advocate for patients and their families. In addition to her assigned duties, she was instrumental in developing a voter registration drive held at the medical center in the fall in an effort to assist individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to register to vote. Ruhlin has been at the medical center for five years.

Marc Williamson, lead analyst and programmer for the Information Systems Division/Informatics, was honored with the Non-Clinical Support Award in part for developing a computer application that manages bed census for the admitting office. This important initiative also helps the Emergency Department understand patient placement and flow, and has a positive impact on understanding, tracking and improving bed turnover. He has served as lead analyst and programmer since 1987.

A new honor created this year, the Team Award, was presented to the 7-3400hospital unit, the medical center’s heart failure and transplant unit that opened in 2001. The honor recognizes the successful teamwork that goes into quality patient care, provided by everyone from physicians to nurses, social workers to transport personnel. The award was accepted by Leway Chen, M.D., M.P.H., medical director for 7-3400, and Lisa Musshafen, R.N., M.S., nurse manager for the unit.